Maxi Dress to Maxi Skirt Tutorial

I got this dress as a hand-me-down recently and I tried it on with several sweaters and jackets but never found one that looked quite right. As much as I love strapless dresses they don't often love me as they tend to be too low in the front or are hard to define your waist in. So, I decided to make it into a skirt.

First, I tried it on at my waist to see how much of a waist band I wanted. Then I took it off and trimmed it accordingly, leaving an extra 1/2 inch for a seam allowance.

Next, I sewed the waistband down, gently stretching as I sewed. You may want to zig-zag stitch the top or fold it over a third time but I did neither as I didn't want my waist band to be too bulky.

Once that was done, I tried it on again to see how long I wanted it. Once I decided, I pinned it with a straight pin to mark my place.

Then I took it to the ironing board an pressed a seam all the way around.

After pressing, I trimmed the excess material about a 1/2 inch from my pressed fold.

Then I pressed it again so that I had a hem that was folded over twice.

Then I stitched it down and was done. Easy peasy!

Now I have a comfy skirt that can be worn in any season with boots or sandals. I included it in my 21 Days with 5 Outfits Challenge. Follow the link to make an outfit for my for my up-comming trip!